Create accessible PDFs
The Challenge
People who use screenreading software rely on it to “read” text out loud to them. However, many documents posted on the Web are either completely inaccessible or just very frustrating for screenreader users.
A common and vexing problem is when documents are scanned and posted on the Web as a PDF. A scanned document is actually a photographic image, which the screenreader can’t read. Essentially the scanned document is a blank slate.
Another problem occurs when a Word document has been converted to PDF but does not contain structure, such as headings, alternative text for images, and lists. This formal document structure enables a screenreader user to do such things as scan the document, navigate to certain sections, interpret images, and access Web links. Without document structure, a screenreader user may be faced with listening to many pages of text to find one pertinent paragraph and may not even be able to access much of the material, including images and charts. The key to creating an accessible PDF is to take the appropriate steps to build in structure when creating the source document and before converting it into a PDF file.
Solution
- Never post a scanned file. These are [...]